PHOENIX — The death toll in Turkey and Syria from this week’s catastrophic earthquake has now reached more than 25,000, as relief organizations struggle to overcome challenges to deliver aid to survivors.
The impact, not only felt in the hardest hit regions, but also back here at home.
An Arizona volleyball player is now raising money for Turkey following the deadly quake.
Footage documenting the tragedy in Turkey is hard to look at. It shows entire buildings collapsing from the powerful earthquake, almost an eight on the Richter scale.
Monday’s deadly earthquake claimed more than 25,000 lives in Turkey and Syria. It’s now one of the deadliest natural disasters in the past century.
“They’re still trying to rescue people under buildings,” said UA volleyball senior Dilara Gedikoglu, who’s from Turkey, now watching the devastation unfold from here in Arizona.
“It’s really heartbreaking and sad to see those things and people literally lost everything,” she said. “They lost their houses, they don’t have food, they don’t have clothes… and at the same time, they’re surviving with the cold temperatures over there.”
“People are not just dying from the earthquake… they’re also dying from the weather,” Gedikoglu said.
She’s heartbroken for those who have lost family, friends, and their homes to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the deadliest recorded in Turkey since 1939.
“There are no buildings left anymore,” she said.
Right now, Gedikoglu is raising money to help those in need through a Go Fund Me page.
“I’m far away from home and I just want to help those people," Gedikoglu said. “I have a lot of support from my friends… my teammates.”
Gedikoglu and other Turkish UArizona students have a goal to donate $5,000 to those most impacted by the devastation.
“I’m just trying to raise money,” she said. “…and the money that I’m going to raise there, is going to go to Rotary Club in Turkey District 2430.”
It’s a club she has close ties to.
“My dad is also part of that club as well, so it’s a reliable source, because unfortunately, right now, there are a lot of sources that are stealing money,” she said. “So, when you donate money, it’s really important where you are donating your money.”
Gedikoglu said the donations will go toward getting essentials.
“…heaters, tents, winter clothes, diapers, food, water,” she said.
All things to help meet immediate needs amid the chaos. For more information on how you can help those most in need, just go to their Gofundme page online.
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